A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to use of microRNA (miRNA) for treating cancer, as well as the use of these compositions to treat cancer.
B. Description of Related Art
Approximately 15-20% of all breast cancers are triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs). These cancers typically exhibit distinct, aggressive metastatic patterns. Prognoses for those receiving a TNBC diagnosis are often poor, and disproportionate numbers of breast cancer deaths follow. Despite better chemotherapy response rates in early-stages of TNBC disease, more than sixty percent of TNBC patients develop chemoresistance, which leads to early relapse and shortened survival.
miRNAs are small, non-protein encoding RNAs that function widely in gene regulation. Messenger RNAs of more than sixty percent of human protein-coding genes may be targeted by miRNAs, which are abundant in many human cell types (Friedman, et al., 2009). The human genome encodes over 1000 miRNAs (more than 1000 Homo sapiens miRNAs are listed in Manchester University's miRBase).